Georgian Lari Exchange Rate (GEL) – Currency Exchange in Warsaw
The Georgian lari (GEL) is the official currency of Georgia, issued by the National Bank of Georgia; since 2014 it has had its own symbol — ₾. At Kantor Argentarii in Warsaw you can exchange it commission-free: we buy and sell GEL banknotes for cash at rates close to the NBP mid-rate.
Our exchange office is at Grzybowska 61, inside the Platinum Towers gallery — a short walk from Rondo Daszyńskiego and the M2 metro. Most clients exchanging lari are tourists preparing cash before a trip to Georgia — Warsaw has direct flights to Tbilisi and Kutaisi — along with Warsaw’s Georgian community and travellers coming back from the Caucasus with leftover banknotes.
Current Georgian lari rate (GEL/PLN)
Buy and sell rates update continuously during opening hours, and the same rate applies at the counter if you mention the online price. The full table of all currencies is on our homepage. For larger amounts the rate is negotiable — call +48 791 901 979 before you visit.
Buying and selling lari in Warsaw
We handle both sides of the transaction. Coming back from Georgia with cash? We buy your lari at the current buy rate. Heading there? GEL banknotes are available on the spot — no bank pre-order needed. The lari counts as an exotic currency in Poland and few exchange offices stock it, so for larger amounts it is worth calling a day ahead to confirm denominations. We deal in banknotes only and do not accept Georgian coins — tetri or the 1 and 2 lari pieces.
What drives the GEL/PLN rate
The lari floats freely, and its value depends mostly on what happens in Georgia itself: the tourist season, remittances from the diaspora, and National Bank of Georgia interest-rate decisions. Wine and ferroalloy exports matter too, as do political tensions in the region. Internationally the lari trades mainly against the US dollar, so GEL/PLN is calculated as a cross rate — USD/PLN moves and NBP decisions feed into the final price as well.
Which Georgian banknotes we accept
Six denominations are in circulation: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 lari. The 2016–2019 series features figures of Georgian culture — Queen Tamar on the 50-lari note and the poet Shota Rustaveli on the 100. The 1 and 2 lari denominations exist only as coins today, and we do not buy them. We also do not accept coupons from before the 1995 reform, when Georgia replaced its transitional currency with the lari at 1,000,000:1 — old issues hold collector value at most. Damaged, marked or taped notes are priced individually at the counter.
How the exchange works
Check the current rate on our homepage, then come to Grzybowska 61 — a transaction takes a few minutes and no appointment is needed. Bring ID only for larger amounts: under the Polish AML act, transactions of EUR 15,000 equivalent or more require client identification. We operate under an entry in the NBP register of currency exchange offices. Besides currencies, we also run gold buying in Warsaw at the same counter.
Reserve a rate for one hour
You can lock the online rate for 60 minutes — fill in the reservation form on the homepage and mention the online price at the counter. Handy for larger amounts, or when the rate is good and you need time to get here. Reservations are free and non-binding.
Kantor Argentarii – Grzybowska 61, Warsaw
You will find us in the Platinum Towers gallery at Grzybowska 61, unit 12, on the border of Wola and the city centre. Open seven days a week: Monday to Friday 9:00–21:00, Saturday 10:00–20:00, Sunday 11:00–20:00. Alongside GEL we exchange 24 currencies, including the Ukrainian hryvnia, the US dollar and the euro. See the full offer on the currency exchange page. Questions? Call +48 791 901 979 or use the contact form.
Frequently asked questions about exchanging Georgian lari
What is today’s Georgian lari rate at the kantor?
Current buy and sell rates for GEL are shown in the rates table on our homepage, updated continuously during opening hours. The counter rate matches the online rate if you mention it, and for larger amounts you can negotiate by phone.
Where can I exchange Georgian lari in Warsaw?
The lari is an exotic currency in Poland and most exchange offices do not stock it. At Grzybowska 61 we buy and sell GEL banknotes on a daily basis — before visiting with a larger amount, call +48 791 901 979 to confirm denomination availability.
Is it better to buy lari in Poland or in Georgia?
It helps to land with a small amount of lari for the airport transfer and first purchases. The rest you can exchange locally: in Georgia the best rates are offered for US dollars and euros, while złoty is accepted mainly by exchange offices in Tbilisi, at weaker rates.
Do you buy lari back after a trip to Georgia?
Yes, we buy back any quantity of GEL banknotes at the current buy rate — from single 5-lari notes to the 200-lari denomination. We do not take coins, including tetri and the 1 and 2 lari pieces; spend them locally or keep them for the next trip.
Can I pay by card in Georgia, or do I need cash?
In Tbilisi, Batumi and the larger cities cards work almost everywhere. Cash in lari is useful outside them: at markets, in marshrutkas, at family guesthouses and in the mountains, where terminals are still rare. For a typical trip, a reserve worth a few hundred złoty is usually enough.
Can I pay in dollars or euros in Georgia?
As a rule, no — Georgian law requires prices to be set and payments made in lari. Dollars and euros are easy to exchange there at banks and exchange offices, but in a shop or restaurant you will pay in GEL only. It is worth arriving with at least part of your cash already in lari.